The present disclosure relates to a data storage apparatus using both of or either of a nonvolatile solid-state memory and a rotating recording medium, more specifically, to a data storage apparatus capable of controlling address information required for data writing using a free area control table and being accessed by means of a file system that performs block access and a data access method therefor.
Currently, various recording media such as flash memories each containing a nonvolatile solid-state memory are used to store data. Such a recording medium is connected to a host apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer) (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-48227).
When data writing or data reading is performed, some recording media use address administration information, that is, data location information so as to determine a position therein at which or from which data will be written or read.
Such a recording medium can reduce the load on a CPU included in a host apparatus and has a big advantage of processing a plurality of streams. On the other hand, however, if such a recording medium is actually used, an existing file system for the recording medium is required to be considerably modified. The file system modification will create burdens.
Furthermore, recording media developers have to separately develop firmware, which will be stored in a recording medium, for each type of file system, because a method of managing data location information varies according to a type of file system used. Coding and validation required for the development are burdens on them. In addition, a development period is protracted.
In the case of consumer appliances, specific functions corresponding to characteristics of a product (for example, a disk scheduling function for a video camera) are strongly required.
It is desirable to provide a data storage apparatus and data access method achieving functions required for consumer appliances while making as few changes to a host apparatus as possible.